More Relief headed to Georgia Small Businesses

U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, said that after needless Democrat delays, relief is finally headed to Georgia’s small businesses. The Senate approved legislation adding $310 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and $60 billion in additional loans and grants for small businesses.  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, supported by Loeffler, initially provided $349 billion in emergency funding for the PPP to help small businesses pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs including benefits. For over a week, Senate Democrats blocked a proposal to add additional funding to the program, which ran out of money last Thursday.  “For weeks, I’ve heard from small business owners, farmers, nonprofits and charities across Georgia that they need these critical loans immediately to keep their employees on payroll and their doors open. Democrats played political games and caused unnecessary delays in delivering this additional funding, leaving the livelihood of hardworking Georgians hanging in the balance during these challenging times,” said Loeffler. “While the delays hurt American families, this new funding will help businesses get back on their feet and address several other priorities to help reopen America. In addition to providing $75 billion for our hospitals, this legislation appropriates $25 billion to expand testing, $225 million of which is dedicated to rural health clinics. Both of these components are key to supporting our front-line workers, getting Americans back to work safely and reopening society.”  The legislation passed by the Senate Tuesday provides an additional $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program; an additional $50 billion for Disaster Loans; an additional $10 billion for the Emergency Economic Injury Disaster Loan grants; an additional $75 billion for hospitals health care providers; $25 billion to expand COVID-19 tests; and $1 billion to cover testing for uninsured Americans.